Chapter 7 - Benny

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Benny placed a smile on his lips and then pushed the doorbell. He listened to the "ding dong" and some seconds later he heard footsteps. They sounded heavier so he knew it was Björn who would open. And he was right, when the door was opened Björn stood in front of him wearing only his boxers. "Oh, hej Benny", he said with sleepy voice, "come in." Benny laughed, "You are impossible, I got up really early and you know how hard it is for me but anyway, I wanted to surprise you and especially Agnetha expecting you two would be awake like you always are around 10 o'clock and now I woke you up!" Björn only grumbled something in his imagined beard and let Benny in.

"Happy Birthday!", Benny shouted at Agnetha who wore a long write nightgown and looked like an angel. An angel with tousled hair and sleepy eyes but anyway, an angel. "Thanks Benny", Agnetha smiled, "But next time you can wait two hours longer to say me that..."
Then she sat up in the big bed and seemed much more awake suddenly. "Present", she ordered strict. Benny laughed, "Keep calm, here it is!" He sat down on Agnetha's piano which stood in the music room but he opened the door so Agnetha could hear everything. Björn took his guitar and sat down beside Agnetha. He smiled at Agnetha and then they began to play. It was a funny melody and then Björn started to sing.

Making somebody happy is a question of give and take
You can learn how to show it so come on, give yourself a break
Every smile and every little touch
Don't you know that they mean so much
Sweet sweet kisses so tender
Always will return to sender

Like a bang, a boom-a-boomerang
Dum-be-dum-dum be-dum-be-dum-dum
Oh bang, a boom-a-boomerang
Love is a tune you hum-de-hum-hum
So give it away, I think you'll learn
You'll get love in return
So bang, a boom-a-boomerang is love
A boom-a-boomerang is love

Love is always around and you can look for it anywhere
When you feel that you've found it my advice is to take good care
Never use it as a selfish tool
Never ever be such a fool
Every feeling you're showing
Is a boomerang you're throwing

Yes a bang, a boom-a-boomerang
Dum-be-dum-dum be-dum-be-dum-dum
Oh bang, a boom-a-boomerang
Love is a tune you hum-de-hum-hum
So give it away, I think you'll learn
You'll get love in return
So bang, a boom-a-boomerang is love

And if you're warm and tender
I'll kiss you, return to sender
Please surrender

Bang, a boom-a-boomerang
Dum-be-dum-dum be-dum-be-dum-dum
Oh bang, a boom-a-boomerang is love
A boom-a-boomerang is love

As they played the last tunes Agnetha jumped up from the bed and gave both of them a big hug. "Oooh, how cuuuuteeee", she squealed. Then she kissed Björn long and passionately. Björn sighed happy but then he gave Benny a worried look but it was a joke: "But Benny doesn't get a kiss like this, does he?" Agnetha laughed evil, went over to Benny and made a kiss mouth. But then she just kissed his cheek.

For breakfast there were pancakes with blueberries which were Agnetha's favourite ones. "Mmmh", she made, "Delicious!" She showed Benny and Björn her blue tongue and laughed childish. "That's nothing, just look mine", Björn joined the game. And really, his tongue was even more blue than Agnetha's. "Oh no, it's not fair!", Agnetha exclaimed and then she leaned forward to gave Björn a tongue kiss and tried to get his blue. It actually didn't work but they had fun. Even Benny laughed hard, it looked so funny how Agnetha tried to steal Björn's tongue's colour.

After breakfast Agnetha and Benny took a walk. Björn stayed at home because he wanted to prepare some things. "You know you have to take a shower before the party?", Agnetha asked Benny. Benny rolled his eyes in joke, "Okay mommy." "Déjà vu!", both of them shouted. And then they bursted into laugh.
"No but serious, you have to look good this evening", Agnetha said again. "Yeah, of course, I always do!", Benny exclaimed. They laughed. "Promise?", Agnetha asked. "Yeeees, but why is it that important for you?", Benny asked back. "Uhm, actually it's more important for you Benny.", Agnetha answered becoming red. "Aha!", Benny shouted, "there's something you haven't told me! You're getting red, you can't deny it!" Agnetha watched their feet carefully. "Well... It's just... I invited some... Special guests, okay one special guest..." "The king?!", Benny's eyes became really big. "No, of course not", Agnetha laughed, "just... Frida..." Benny didn't say anything and so she risked a short look but Benny's face didn't show any motion. "What is it?", Agnetha asked with a bit fear. Benny looked up, "What should be?" He saw Agnetha's disbelieving look and continued: "I don't know any Frida..."
"Ooooh, right, you can't know... It's Anni-Frid!", Agnetha laughed. But immediately she became quiet. Benny watched her shocked. "Anni-frid?", he asked breathless. His eyes got wide. "I have to...", he began and Agnetha couldn't hear the end because he ran away as fast as he could.

When Benny arrived at home he immediately got his clothes off and jumped in the shower. Then he shaved and left in his room to choose the best clothes. It took a while but in the end he wore a dark blue t-shirt and black jeans. It actually was really plain but he would feel overdressed with a suit.
Then he tried to style his hair but it was hopeless, it stayed like always.
He thought about some flowers but it seemed weird to him because it was Agnetha's birthday and not Anni-Frid's. Then he watched the clock because it was much too early to go. Then he decided to phone Björn and Agnetha to ask if he could come earlier because it was boring to watch the clock. Agnetha who took the phone agreed with the condition that he would help Björn. She complained a bit because Björn didn't let her help but then she hang up because she had to make her hair. So Benny left the house and took the car. Usually he walked over to his friend's house but he was a little bit afraid of sweat. As he arrived at his friends he took some deep breaths and rang. It took a while until Björn opened. "Sorry, I was upstairs to get some fairy lights" he said. "It's okay", Benny whispered. Björn laughed, "Excited?" But he didn't wait for the answer but left in the house. In fact the sight of Benny was answer enough.

Benny got off his shoes and followed Björn inside. It was the total mess. There was stuff everywhere, really EVERYWHERE. If Benny wasn't that excited, he would laugh because it was just so typical for his best friend. But when he saw Björn's helpless look he got a little bit pity, there was only one hour left to make the flat perfect and it looked just horrible. So Benny started to help his friend as good as he could and it helped himself too because he was too busy to think about Anni-Frid.

Half an hour later when they were nearly ready Agnetha came downstairs wearing a wonderful dark blue dress. Her hair was pinned up, only some strands were placed on her naked shoulders. Björn went towards her and gave her a long kiss. "You are that beautiful", he whispered with love. "I know", Agnetha made a look-I'm-that-pretty face. Björn laughed and kissed her again. "Okay, stop it now", Agnetha said after a while, "The guests will come soon and I have to prepare..." Björn interrupted her with a kiss. "It's all done honey", he mumbled between two kisses. And so they kissed on and Benny tried to manage this mix of panic and love in his stomach. Hopefully he hadn't to throw up...

A "ding dong" broke the silence. Björn and Agnetha weren't kissimg anymore, they just sat and looked in each other's eyes and now Agnetha jumped up to open the door. Benny looked up but it was just a friend of Agnetha. They said hello and then the guy started to talk with Agnetha. And so came other guests, in groups of two or three they arrived, congratulated Agnetha, gave her a present and sat down talking to others.

And then the doorbell rang again. Benny listened carefully as always to the voices. "Hej Agnetha", somebody said shy, "Happy birthday... And here, it's for you..."

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